The present invention relates to a smoothing device of an applicator unit for coating a moving web. The smoothing device includes a doctor, in the form of a doctor blade, which is supported on a beam and extends across the width of the web. The beam, and thus the doctor, are likely to bend or sag under their own weight or due to the pressure applied by the doctor against the web.
The invention compensates for the bending of the supporting beam which is stressed by its own weight and by the pressure and forces resulting from the operation. For a web coating or smoothing unit, the supporting beam carries a doctor element via a mount therefor. The doctor element is pressed by an adjusting device against a web being coated which, in general, is guided over a counter-roll opposed to the doctor element. To produce a coating which is as uniform as possible, it is important that the pressing of the doctor element against the web also takes place uniformly over the width of the web. Numerous beam deflection and sag compensation devices are known in the web treatment arts, including the coating arts. Some distribute their deflection resistance or compensation differently at various locations along the beam and/or around the beam. Some use one or more hydraulic chambers for effecting compensation.